Travel: Japan - General

[June]

Thanks much!

starlight1968sg:

June:

Thanks Starlight. We will get the JR 7 days pass but i will be there for 10 days thus do you know whether they do seel a day or 2 pass? I am staying at JR Shinagawa

The JR pass comes in 7 or 14 or 21 days. This pass is excellent for extensive travelling on JR trains.
You may plan your journey in such a way that you dont use your JR pass for travelling in Tokyo. I think for the travelling in this city, there is another type of pass.
Please check.

[mamemo]

rain29:

Thanks for all your advise.


We decided to focus just Tokyo/Hakone, we want a free and relax trip so decided not to have too many places for our 1st trip. Are the following places suitable for kids.

Asakusa, Ueno, Ameyoko, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Akihabara, Imperial Palace and Ginza.

Hi rain29, I'm also going to Tokyo this november, covering about the same as you. It's going to be a 9-day trip, covering the below
Day 1) Ueno Area: Ueno Park, Ameyoko area, Odaiba at night for the night view
Day 2) Ginza Area: Tsukiji Market, Asakusa via the Sumida Cruise. Evening and dinner at Sunshine City (Ikeburuko)
Day 3) Shinjuku area: Tokyo Metropolitan Building, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Daiso Harajuku(100Yen shop), Omotesando Hills
Day 4) Hakone: Ouwakudani volcanic springs, Gora Park
Day 5) Odawara Castle then travel to Disneyland
Day 6) Disneyland
Day 7) Yokohama: Ramen Museum, Chinatown
Day Kamakura: Big Buddha plus another shrine
Day 9) Depart

For Hakone, we are staying at one of the ichinoyu hotels. Breakfast plus dinner and private indoor hot bath (hee hee, we are shy)
http://english.ichinoyu.co.jp/

For hotels in Tokyo, we'll be staying at Sutton Place hotel at Ueno (beginning of trip) and Kadoya Hotel at Shinjuku (end of trip). Hotels in Tokyo are super small. As we'll be co-sleeping with 2 kids, we need wide-enough beds. So far these 2 hotels have wide-enough beds.

For Disneyland Hotel, we'll be staying at Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay. Not expensive because they have big rooms (2 doubles and 2 singles) to squeeze all together. A tip: their rooms are cheaper on Wed, thur and fri nights, so try to plan your stay around these 3 days.

Since you have more days in Tokyo, u can spend more days in Disneyland, at least 2 full days. I only manage to squeeze in 1.5 days into my itinerary because my parents also coming with us, don't think they'll like disneyland very much

Let me know if u need more info

Enjoy planning !

[mamemo]

June:

Thanks much!

starlight1968sg:

[quote=\"June\"]Thanks Starlight. We will get the JR 7 days pass but i will be there for 10 days thus do you know whether they do seel a day or 2 pass? I am staying at JR Shinagawa

The JR pass comes in 7 or 14 or 21 days. This pass is excellent for extensive travelling on JR trains.
You may plan your journey in such a way that you dont use your JR pass for travelling in Tokyo. I think for the travelling in this city, there is another type of pass.
Please check.

[/quote]Just to share, the JR Pass is only worth it if you are travelling out of Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka. Also take note that most lines in Kyoto are not JR lines. Otherwise, it's not worth it if you only travel in Tokyo. One 7 day pass cost SGD400plus for adult. Children is half price.

[Mummyprincess]

Hi, I’m planning to bring my kids to Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studio. Any recommendation on which tour agency to book?

[mamemo]

lizuan76:

Can anyone advise me if we are going to disneyland flying to Haneda airport or Natrita airport easier.


For Haneda airport which japan area should we cover.

Thanks

Haneda is nearer. Faster to reach Tokyo City and disneyland. They have a airport limousine service (but not 24 hr service) from both airports to disneyland.

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

[bekithia]

Hi Mamemo


We also stayed at the Ichinoyu Honkan while in Hakone! The private hotspring bath in the room was fantastic but how I wish we had gotten the ground floor one. Did you manage to book that?

[bekithia]

Hi June


Maihama Station is right outside Disneyland. So as long as you are staying very near a JR station that doesn’t need a transfer at Tokyo Station, it should be very convenient. Tokyo Station is huge and very tiring rushing from one JR line to another after a long tiring day in Disneyland!

[mamemo]

bekithia:

Hi Mamemo


We also stayed at the Ichinoyu Honkan while in Hakone! The private hotspring bath in the room was fantastic but how I wish we had gotten the ground floor one. Did you manage to book that?

I didn't book the one at Honkan, I booked Shinanoki Ichinoyu: http://english.ichinoyu.co.jp/shinanoki/index.html

Yes, I booked the ground floor room !
Wow, I'm looking forward to it !

[lwm99]

As someone has mentioned, if you only plan to travel within Tokyo and visit Hakone, not worth getting the rail pass.


To see better of the Tokyo Disney Resort, best is to get a 3 days pass, which on the third day you can do park hopping. We usually plan to visit Disney at the end of the journey - check out hotel in the city in the morning, take train to Maihama Station, check in to one of the Disney hotels (Sheraton Grande is good and sometimes great price) beside the station, grab the tickets and go straight to the park. Kids can also rest in the hotel in the afternoon since nearby. Last day just take airport limo to airport.

Not you if your kids are boy or girl. For girls they will like Sanrio Puroland. You may also like Ghibli Museum if you like Hayao Muyazaki’s animation like My Neighbour Totoro. Try to include Odaiba too.

If you like shopping, allocate more time at Gotemba after you visit Hakone.

If you stay around Shinjuku station in the city, it will be very convenient to visit places like Hakone, Sanrio, etc, although not essential.

I don’t think 10 days is too long for Tokyo/Hakone, consider if you spend 3 days at Disney, 2-3 days at Hakone.

[bekithia]

Wow that’s great…and what a coincidence, we too stayed at Ueno Sutton Place and Sheraton Grande!


Love Tokyo. Have fun!